Food quality: China declares «special battle»

Beijing / CN. (gov) The Chinese government started a four-month nationwide campaign to improve the quality of goods and food safety. During her speech at a conference on quality and safety issues last week, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi described the campaign as a «special battle» to ensure the people´s health and interests and maintain a good image of Chinese products. The campaign will target farm produce, processed food, catering sector, drugs, pork, imported and exported goods and products in close link to human safety and health. Wu, also head of the newly-established national leading group to address product quality and safety issues, called for an integrated quality monitoring network across the country, covering product design, raw materials, processing, sales and service (press release 01). A few days later Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said he is confident of victory in the «special war» against poor product quality despite its highly demanding targets: «Although the goals are difficult to achieve, we will do our utmost to ensure the campaign is successful». The government launched the four-month battle to improve food safety and product quality after a series of safety scares involving Chinese products worldwide. The campaign, which will run to the end of the year, will ban false advertising, require all food producers to be certified and step up inspections of food, drugs and agricultural products (press release 02).